Improvement in breech-loading ordnance



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

R. PUNSHON. BREECH'LOADING ORDNANCE.

Patented Jan. 11, 1876.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

R. PUNSHON. BREECH-LOADING onnmncz. 210.172,].68. PatenteclJanm 11,1876.

l W l I I lm/enlar wksw UNITED STATEs PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT PUNSHON, OF HEATHERLEIGH, AMERLEY PARK, ENGLAND.

IMPROVEMENT IN BREECH-LOADING ORDNANCE.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 172,168., dated January 11, 18%6 application filed December 7, 1875.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I,- Ronnar PUNSHON, of Heatherleigh, Amerley Park, in the county of Surrey, England, gentleman, have invented Improvements in the Construction of Breech Loading Ordnance, of which the following is a specification i My invention has for its object the construction ofordnance with a movable breech, capable of containing the charge of powder and the projectile, or of the powder only, in order to give increased facility for rapid firing and prevent the escape of gas. For this purpose the movable breech consists of the breech end of the cannon inclosed within an outer breech forged onto the barrel, and forming a support for the inner breech, which turns horizontally on a kind of ball-and-socketjoint in the end of such outer breech. This movable breech has formed in it a chamber to receive the charge of powder and the projectile, or of powder alone. By making the movable breech to contain the charge escape of gas will be prevented, and the rapidity of loading may be increased.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 represents the gun with the breech closed for firing. Fig. 2 represents the same with the breech opened to receive the charge. Fig.3 is a longitudinal section of the gun, and Fig. 4. is a transverse section of the same.

A is the outer breech, which is forged onto the barrel, as shown, and is formed so as to receive the movable inner breech B, the rear end of which is convex, in order to fit into the concave socket formed by the interior ot'the outer breech, within which it moves as on a ball-andsocket joint. The front part of the movable breech B is formed so as to abut against thccorrespondiugly-termed solid parts of the breech A, in order that when the breech B is closed for firing it may be solid with the breech A, as required. 0 is aslide fixed in the end of the breech B, and working in a slot formed in the breech A, such slide being formed with flanges I fitting over the outer end of the breech A, and terminatingin a knob or handle, D, by means of which the movable breech B may be turned on the socket-joint in order to open the breech for loading. E is a hinged stop, by means of which the slide G is fixed and secured against any movement when the breech B is closed for firing. F is the charge contained in the chamber formed in the movable breech B to receive it. The movable breech B is opened as required for loading by releasing the slide 0 from the stop E, and moving it on the balland-socket joint into the position shown in Fig. 2, and it is closed after the charge F has been inserted in the chamber of the said breech ready for firing, by turning it into the position shown in Fig. 1, and it is locked in that position by means of the stop E, which is brought in contact with the slide 0 and fixed there. If preferred, the movable breech B may be formed so as to be screwed forward into a recess formed in the breech A to receive it, and blocked in behind by means of a blocking-piece of suitable form inserted at the back of the movable breech B. The breech is opened for loading by removing the blockingpiece and reversing the movement of the screw, whereby the breech B will be withdrawn from the cavity in the breech Aaud present an aperture in its front part to receive the charge. I claim as my invention- The outer breech A constructed with the concave rear end having a horizontal elongated slot, in combination with the movable breechend B, having the convex rear end and slide G projecting through the slot in the outer breech, and constructed to move horizontally from the outer breech, as and for the object specified.

ROBERT PU'NSHON. Witnesses:

WILLIAM SPENoE, JOHN VENN. 

